The Stepfather (2009) Starring Dylan Walsh, Sela Ward, Penn Badgley & Amber Heard Written by J.S. Cardone & Donald E. Westlake Directed by Nelson McCormick

"The Stepfather" (2009) is a remake of the 1987 thriller starring Terry O'Quinn (from the "Lost" TV series). While it is a stretch -- make that a very long stretch -- to call the 2009 remake a horror film, it does have some intense scenes and is about a supposedly normal guy who just wants to have a perfect family. His past history though includes going from place to place seeking that perfect family and if they don't live up to his standards, he kills them.

David is able to carry on the nice guy shtick with Susan (Sela Ward from "The Day After Tomorrow", TV's "House MD" series) who has divorced her husband Jay (Jon Tenney). It should also be noted that David meets her in the grocery store and simply charms his way into her life.

Everything seems to go smoothly until stories about David's past come back to bite him. He then must start eliminating the people (who find out who he really is) with a series of "accidents" that these unfortunate souls have. He cunningly empathizes his sorrow when he learns of the victims and how they died.

There is a nice supporting cast of actors (Penn Badgley, Sherry Stringfield, Paige Turco and Amber Heard). Penn Badgley plays Michael, Susan's son, and he's just returned from military school. Amber Heard is Kelly, Michael's girlfriend. The movie was directed by Nelson McCormick, and written by J.S. Cardone (who also wrote the "Prom Night" remake and "The Covenant").

"The Stepfather" (2009) is more of a suspense thriller than a horror movie. True horror genre fans would have wanted lots of blood and gore in an "Unrated Director's Cut." The theatrical version of this remake was rated PG-13. There are PG-13 movies that seem to challenge the R-rating by including some disturbing scenes in their PG-13 theatrical release. "The Last Exorcism" comes to mind with a particular scene that could scar some young pre-teen viewers. Also, there's "Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith," another film that continued the tradition of people losing limbs or their heads. However, this PG-13 remake is not one of those rating-testing films. The "Unrated Director's Cut" only adds more of the tension (mostly psychological) that's going on with David Harris and his new family. If they had gone the hard "R" route for the theatrical release, this "Unrated" cut would have probably crossed the line into NC-17 territory.

"The Stepfather" (2009) is another case of an unnecessary remake. Where the remakes of "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and "Friday the 13th" actually gave viewers something with some (excuse the pun) meat on its bones, this one only feels like a made-for-TV movie...and one that isn't that good. You might say it's like an appetizer for the main course. If you were going to watch something like "The Exorcist" or the original "Nightmare on Elm Street", this would be your snack. It's got some substance and is entertaining but it just doesn't satisfy you.

"The Stepfather" is a guilty pleasure though. Watching the breathtaking Amber Heard is worth the price of admission alone. She does a great job playing Michael's girlfriend and you may know her from some of her other films like "Zombieland" and "Pineapple Express". The other actors do an acceptable job too. It's just that you wish the filmmakers took some more risks with this material. True, they had an outstanding performance by O'Quinn in the original "Stepfather" to follow. Did they purposely try to re-imagine the story and make it more current with its use of Internet searching and cell phones? O'Quinn was offered a cameo role in the remake but turned it down. Do you suppose he had his fill of the franchise and thought enough is enough?

When you watch how David acts with his new family, you learn that he definitely has daddy issues. For example, he starts seeing the previous family he killed while at the dinner table with his new family. His level of sanity is diminishing rapidly. To satisfy the ratings board and get a PG-13 rating, he is pretty tame for a psychotic "wolf in sheep's clothing". The Unrated version does little to make David as crazy as Uncle Frank in "Hellraiser" and his memorable "Come to Daddy" line.

There are a few featurettes on the Unrated version in addition to a gag reel. Penn Badgley (Michael) from TV's "Gossip Girl" joins Dylan Walsh (David) and the film's director on an audio commentary. Listening to their insights about the filmmaking process is also entertaining. The theatrical trailer for the remake and the TV spots show you how this movie was marketed as a faux horror film. This is nothing new as many films have scarier trailers than the actual films themselves.

Again, viewing The Stepfather remake won't change the future of horror movies with an introduction to an iconic character (Freddy, Jason, Hannibal Lecter) and it won't scare you into sleeping with the lights on. It's like some good chocolate or sweet finger food before you watch something that gives you nightmares.

The climactic ending with David and Michael battling it out in the attic was so predictable that you know how it would play out. If you just sit back and enjoy "The Stepfather" remake for what it's worth, you'll have an entertaining time. The running time of 102 minutes for the Unrated cut is suitable.

So, for a fun time watching an "Unrated Director's Cut" that won't change your horror movie viewing habits, check out "The Stepfather" remake. You'll enjoy Walsh's portrayal of a mild-mannered father gone wild. It could have gone another way. They could have cast someone like Julian McMahon as David. Then again, McMahon might have been a creepier David and further terrorized Michael's girlfriend. Ewwwww!!! If the sound of Uncle Frank saying "Come to Daddy" lingers in your ear, you can be glad that all The Stepfather (2009) DVD cover prods you with is "Daddy's home".